Notice of Stone Gannon Balls, by David Milne Home. 163 



in the Accounts as one of tlie gunners, whose duty it was to ob- 

 tain Stone Balls for the artillery. In the Extracts of 5th and 6th 

 August, payments are entered as made for " Gun-Stanes that 

 were new made," to go to Norham, and which required six 

 horses to draw them. 



It is evident, therefore, that the six Stone Balls found in the 

 channel of the Leet were balls which belonged to " Mons Meg." 

 How they should have been left there, can only be matter of 

 conjecture. It is possible that when Mons Meg, with the rest of 

 the Scotch artillery, was being brought bacli: to Edinburgh, the 

 retreat may have been so hurried, that the balls were left be- 

 hind. The passage of the Leet would, no doubt, be difficult for 

 any carriage or vehicles which conveyed balls of such size and 

 weight ; and one may have broken down so completely, that there 

 was no way of extracting the balls from the moss or mud which 

 abounded on the low flat through which the river Leet 

 meandered. 



I heard a report that at or near the place where the balls were 

 found the bones of a horse, and some iron bars were found. In 

 that case the probability of this last conjecture would be 

 strengthened. 



In Boston's Biography there is notice of a lake which, even 

 in his time, covered a part of the meadow where the Stone Balls 

 were found, and he mentions that on one occasion when he was 

 fording this lake his horse laired in the mud, and it was with 

 difficulty he got out. 



Extracts from State Accounts kept hy the Lord High Treasurer 

 of Scotland. 

 1496. — To Johne Quarriour, for correking of gun-stanes, £4 2s. 

 1497. April 5. — To 4 miller quarreours at Dunbar, for stanes wynning. 



April 7. — To Johne Quarreour, for the redding of Dunbar, at the 

 mason's mycht wirk. 

 (Johne Quarreour was one of the gunners who had charge 

 of the artillery) 

 April 10.— Giifen to John Mawer, elder, in part payment of quhelis 



(wheels) making to the Bombards and to Mons. 

 April 10.— (Another payment for same object). 



July 8.— One hundred workmen and 5 carpenters to pass with Mons 

 to Norham, 

 For 4 great trees to Mons, weighing 16 stones. 

 July 9.— To seven weights for 2 J days, to mak cradill for Mons. 



